Mintfeather's Secret

Chapter 25:

"Thrushwing?" The brown tom was snapped out of his daze and he looked over to see Mousepaw staring up at him with excited emerald eyes. "Look what I caught!" At the small tom's paws there lay a vole. Thrushwing purred and smiled at the small tom.

"Great job. You'll be able to catch much bigger prey in no time!" He encouraged his apprentice. Mousepaw bounced up and down with glee before freezing at the sound of bushes rustling behind them. Thrushwing turned around and his heart clenched when a familiar scent hit his nostrils. "Who's there?!" Mousepaw called, his voice wavering with fear.

"Calm down, Mousepaw. It's just the medicine cat." Thrushwing reassured the small apprentice, turning away from the grey tom as he padded out of the bushes.

"Sorry. Did I scare you?" Mintfeather asked Mousepaw, his blind mint-green eyes staring over the tom's head.

"What? No! I never get scared!" Mousepaw stuttered, puffing out his chest.

"It's not a bad thing to get scared sometimes, you know. That's what makes you alive. The ability to feel." Thrushwing mewed, staring down at Mousepaw with amusement.

"Oh!" The tom mewed, eyes wide with realization.

"Why are you here, Mintfeather?" Thrushwing asked when he realized the blind tom was still standing behind him.

"I need to speak with you." Thrushwing felt his heart sink into his stomach and looked down at Mousepaw, who looked between the toms with confusion.

"Training is over for today. Take your prey and get back to camp. I'll be right after you." He instructed to the tom. He sighed as Mousepaw dashed off, leaving him alone with the light grey tom. "What is it, Mintfeather?" Thrushwing asked, turning to stare at the tom. He was growing uncomfortable being around the blind medicine cat. Thrushwing knew that he was still in love with Mintfeather.

"Is it true?" The grey tom mewed softly, a worried look on his face.

"Is what true?" The brown warrior asked, getting even more nervous and confused.

"Are you and Darkriver mates?" Mintfeather asked, his voice just above a whisper. Thrushwing felt an overwhelming sense of panic and despair. How could the tom have found out?!

"Where did you hear that?" Thrushwing asked softly.

"Redfang and Robinfeather were talking about it. It's true?" Mintfeather asked again, slight desperation in his voice.

"Why should you care if it's true or not? The last time you spoke to me, you told me you didn't want to be friends anymore. Why should my personal life matter to you?!" Thrushwing hissed bitterly, his fur bristling.

"Thrushwing, I-" Mintfeather stuttered, unable to find the words to say.

"No! Don't say anything. You don't know how it feels to confess to the one you love, only to have them push you away and tell you they want nothing to do with you anymore!" Thrushwing shouted at Mintfeather, his voice cracking as he lowered his head. Mintfeather was in shock. He had never heard the brown warrior sound so sad and broken before. And never once had he yelled at anyone.

"Thrushwing..." He whispered.

"It hurts, Mintfeather. It hurts so much that I can't even hear your name without feeling sick. I can't look at you without feeling like I want to cry. I just... can't." Thrushwing muttered. "You wouldn't know how I feel. You have no right to care about who I choose to be my mate." He looked up at Mintfeather with tears in his emerald eyes before he turned away from the silent light grey tom, who was frozen in shock. "You wanted me to leave you alone? Fine. If that's what you really want, don't come looking for me. I don't want you to torment me and make me feel even worse than I already do." He mewed softly before padding away.

"No, wait! Thrushwing!" Mintfeather took a pawstep forward, immediately feeling panic rise in his chest and his heart thundering in his ears. "I LOVE YOU!" He cried out. There was no response. Mintfeather waited and waited for a reply from the brown tom before realizing Thrushwing was already gone. "No... no!" The light grey tom started to sob, tears leaking down his cheeks. "I've messed everything up! Now Thrushwing won't listen to me!" Mintfeather couldn't count how many times he had messed up his chances with the brown warrior.

"I should never have listened to Speckledfern." He cried in despair.